"The police have withdrawn their lines back because of the rioters throwing a lot of stones, and at this point it looks like no one is in control," she reported from the building next to the headquarters.

'Unacceptable results'

The Democratic Party, led by Tsakhia Elbegdorj, has accused the MPRP of stealing Sunday's vote.

Up to 30 police officers and 25 civilians were reportedly injured [EPA]

The MPRP, a former communist party, says that it won 45 seats in the 76-seat Great Khural, while the Democrats have reportedly won 21 seats.

The General Election Committee has yet to make a formal announcement on the ballot.

"We do not accept these results," Elbegdorj told a news conference earlier on Tuesday.

"No one needs these kinds of results, and they will be corrected in accordance with law."

Protesters at the election commission demanded that the body's officials resign over voting irregularities and fraud.

International observers say that overall the election was free and fair, but new election rules that changed the first-past-the-post system to one of multi-member constituencies have led to procedural problems and confusion.

'Free and fair'

Sanjagiin Bayar, the prime minister, called for calm in a televised address from inside the party headquarters before the fires were started.

"The other party [the Democrats] is accusing us of buying the election, it's not true, the election was free and fair. We now request that everyone should stop this chaotic protest immediately," Bayar said on local Eagle Television.

"Elbegdorj made a false announcement and he is misleading people and inciting violence."

The officially neutral Enkhbayar - previously an MPRP member - held an emergency national security meeting with Bayar and all the opposition party leaders.

At the meeting broadcast live on the privately-run Eagle television, Bayar renewed his calls for restraint while blaming the Democrats for inciting the rioters.